Jean Ritchie - Live at Indiana University, 1960 [RARE UNRELEASED CONCERT]

This might be the most significant folk music discovery we’ve uncovered yet. For the past couple of years, I've had the immense privilege of helping legendary folksinger and folklorist Ellen Stekert sift through her massive archive of tapes and photographs. Together, we’ve shared some incredible history—from Ellen’s rare photos of Bob Dylan and her home recordings of Dave Van Ronk, to a lost Woody Guthrie song and Ellen’s own brilliant performances (now streaming everywhere). But a few months ago, Ellen surprised me with an absolute treasure: a 1960 tape of the great Jean Ritchie performing at Indiana University. Ellen had personally invited Jean to perform, later broadcasting the concert on her WFIU radio program, The World of Folk. Thankfully, Ellen kept her personal reel-to-reel copies of those broadcasts. I have spent the last few weeks carefully remixing and remastering this tape. Because so few complete, high-fidelity recordings of Jean Ritchie exist from this golden era, this is a major historical find. Several of these renditions are so rare I cannot find comparable versions anywhere else—meaning these tracks may very well be the last surviving documents of the "Mother of Folk" performing these songs in her absolute prime. Below is an excerpt of Ellen’s firsthand memory of that legendary concert and her friendship with Jean, abridged from her upcoming essay (which you can read in full at ellenstekert.com): In 1952, Jac Holzman had recently founded Elektra Records as a small, independent folk label. Jac had found Jean Ritchie and said, “She’s the real thing.” So, in a way, she started off in my imagination as my rival! In 1959, I was able to get to know her personally. We had both been recruited for a CBS TV program called “Camera Three.” While working together, I discovered that Jean lived very close to me and my family on Long Island. She and her photographer husband, George Pickow, had a house on top of a rise in Port Washington, just a hop and a jump away from my home in Great Neck. Less than a year later, I arranged for Jean to give a concert at Indiana University in Bloomington. It was a stellar concert. The first half featured traditional songs from Jean’s Kentucky heritage, and the second half featured songs collected during her travels to the British Isles. As was her usual performance, it was a delightful evening. Jean’s wit and unaffected charm, combined with her outstanding and tasteful musicality, gave the audience a rare view of both the workings of tradition with an overlay of personal creativity. I had always admired her and felt she was one of the great “translators” of a branch of America’s folk tradition. By the time she left, we felt we could call each other friends. I drove her to the airport followed by a gaggle of fans who stayed to see her off. Some have called Jean Ritchie “The mother of the folksong revival.” Jean was even more than that. She was one of the best ambassadors of an American traditional art form, the Southern Mountain a cappella ballads and songs. Jac Holzman had it right all those years ago when he called her "the real thing"—though he only knew the half of it. Jean Ritchie wasn't just authentic; she was special, a singular artist who bridged two worlds and left them both infinitely richer. TRACK LIST: PART I 0:00:00 - Ellen Stekert Intro 0:01:10 - Commentary on her upbringing 0:05:31 - I Wonder When I Shall Be Married 0:07:15 - Commentary on the dulcimer 0:08:26 - The Cuckoo 0:10:48 - Commentary on story ballads 0:13:06 - Lord Bateman & The Turkish Lady 0:17:11 - Commentary on work songs 0:19:28 - The Little Devils 0:22:40 - Commentary on play party songs 0:26:12 - Charlie's Neat & Charlie's Sweet 0:27:30 - Commentary on contemporary folk pop 0:30:54 - Lonesome Dove 0:33:30 - Intro to Jubilee 0:33:56 - Jubilee 0:36:07 - Commentary on carols 0:37:07 - The Holy Well 0:41:33 - Introduction to Skin & Bones 0:42:03 - Skin & Bones PART II: 0:43:33 - Commentary on hymns & travels to British Isles 0:45:30 - Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah 0:47:14 - Intro to Careless Love 0:47:50 - Careless Love 0:49:53 - Intro to What A Voice 0:51:02 - What A Voice 0:53:31 - Commentary on Irish tunes 0:56:22 - Old King Cole 0:57:47 - Intro to As I Roved Out 0:58:20 - As I Roved Out 1:00:04 - Intro to I Know Where I'm Going 1:01:32 - I Know Where I'm Going 1:02:41 - Commentary on collecting in Ireland 1:03:38 - Licht Bob's Lassie 1:04:48 - Intro to Wally, Wally 1:05:36 - Wally, Wally 1:06:40 - Intro to The Water Is Wide 1:07:05 - The Water Is Wide 1:08:53 - Love Is Teasing & Love Is Playing 1:10:23 - Intro to I Wish My Father Never Whistled 1:10:50 - I Wish My Father Never Whistled 1:11:42 - End & Encore 1:12:29 - Intro to Old Virginny 1:13:40 - Old Virginny 1:16:23 - Intro to Shady Grove & Commentary on the Kingston Trio 1:17:25 - Shady Grove 1:18:52 - Intro to Hangman 1:20:05 - Hangman (old version) 1:20:47 - Hangman (Ritchie versions)